Hollow wall constructions and parts therefor or the like



C. M. ROBERTSON April 26, 1966 HOLLOW WALL CONSTRUGTIONS AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 N O s n E T mm mM "I A L G HIS ATTORNEYS A ril 26, 1966 c. M. ROBERTSON 3,247,537

HOLLOW WALL CONSTRUCTIONS AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Feb. 28, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 41/ mvemon 33 7 4 4 3? CLAIR M. ROBERTSON HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()fifice 3,247,637 Patented Apr. 26, 1966 This invention relates to an improved hollow wall construction and to improved parts for making such a hollow wall construction or the like.

I-Ieretofore, movable panels, doors and the like have been manufactured for railroad freight cars, garages and the like wherein the movable panel is formed by a plural ity of sections hingedly secured together and gulded by asuitable frame structure so-that the movable panel can readily be moved between its opened and closed positions through an arcuate path or the like.

According to the teachings of this invention, an improved panel construction of the above type is provided wherein the individual sections comprised hollow wall structures which can be fabricated in a relatively simple, inexpensive and non-time consuming manner.

Further, the individual parts of this invention for forming the panel construction of this invention can be manufactured in a relatively simple and inexpensive manner and still provide the desired structural strength for the panel construction.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved hollow wall construction having one or more of the novel features of this invention.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved parts for such a hollow wallconstruction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantagesof this invention are apparent from a reading of thisdescription which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 isa fragmentary, perspective View illustrating the improved hollow wall construction of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspectlve view illustrating the method of forming one of the parts for the hollow wall construction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 isra view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates a method of forming another part of the hollow wall construction of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the hollow wall construction of FIGURE 1 and is taken on line 4-4. thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and illustrates adjacent hollow wall sections disposed in the same plane.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being utilized in forming an hollow wall construction which defines a slidable door or the like, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof to produce other constructions, as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the emobdiment thereof illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the improved hollow wall construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral and comprises a door or the like movable in the path defined by a pair of opposed, like channel-defining members 11 in a manner hereinafter described, the hollow wall construction 10 comprises a plurality of hollow wall sections 12 hingedly interconnccted together and carrying rollers 13 at the opposed ends 14 and 15 thereof which are received in the inwardly facing channels 16 of the channel-defining members 11 to cause the hollow wall construction 10 to follow the path defined by the channel-defining members 11.

Each hollow wall section 12 is formed from two mem bers 17 and 18, FIGURES 2 and 3, secured together in a manner hereinafter dsecribed.

While the members 17 and 18 can be formed in any suitable manner and of any suitable material, the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawings are formed by extruding metallic material, such as aluminum-containing metallic material or the like, in conventional extruding apparatus 19 and 20.

After the hollow wall members 17 and 18 have ben extruded to the desired lengths by the apparatus 19 and 20, the extruded members 17 and 18 are subsequently cut to the desired lengths to form the hollow wall sections 12 of the hollow wall construction 10 in a manner hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the hollow wall member 17 has a substantially U-shaped configuration defined by a pair of legs 21 and 22 respectively interconnected to the opposed ends of a cross member 23, the cross member forming one of the opposed surfaces of a respective hollow wall section 12.

The leg 21 of each hollow wall member 17 is provided with an enlarged. free end 24 having a pair of inwardly directed flanges 25 and 26 defining an outwardly facing channel 27 therebetween, the channel 27 having an arcuate cross-sectional configuration for a purpose hereinafter described.

In addition, a substantially semi-circular enlargement 28 extends outwardly from the enlarged free end 24 of the leg 21 of each hollow wall member 17 and is interconnected thereto by a flange 29, the enlargement 28 having an outwardly directed slot 28' for a purpose hereinafter described.

An outwardly directed, arcuate flange 30 is integrally interconnected tothe leg21 of each hollow wall member 17 in stepped relation relative to the cross member 23 to define a channel 31, the flange 36 having a turned end portion 32 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The other leg 22 of each hollow wall member 17 has an enlarged 'free end 33 provided with a beveled surface 34, therenlarged free end 33 having an outwardly directed, arcuate flange 35 integrally interconnected thereto.

Each leg 22 of each hollow wall member 17 has an outwardly directed flange 36 disposed in the same plane as the cross member 23 thereof for a purpose hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, each hollow wall member 18 comprises a substantially flat body portion 37 having a pair of opposed free ends 38 and 39, the hat body portion 37 defining the other opposed surface of a respective hollow wall section 12.

The free end 38 of each hollow wall member 18 is provided with an outwardly directed arcuate flange 40 which is complementary to the channel 27 of the hollow wall member 17 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The other free end 39 of each hollow wall member 18 is provided with a pair of outwardly directed flanges 41 and 42, the flange 41 having a beveled surface 43 complementary to the beveled surface 34 of the hollow wall member 17 while the flange 42 defines an arcuate surface 44 cooperable with the arcuateflange 35 of the hollow wall member 17 to define an outwardly facing channel 45, FIGURES 4 and 5, adapted to interlockingly receive the enlargement 28 of an adjacent hollow wall section 12 in a manner hereinafter described, the channel 45 having a substantially circular cross-sectional configuration.

After the hollow wall members 17 and 18 have been formed in the above manner, each hollow wall section .12 is formed by interconnecting a pair of hollow wall members 17 and 18 together in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 4.

For example, the flange 41 of the hollow wall member 18 is angularly inserted in the channel 27 of the hollow wall member 17 to respectively interconnect the free ends 2 and 38 of the hollow wall members 17 and 18 together, the free end 39 of the hollow wall member 18 being subsequently rotated into abutting relation against the free end 33 of the hollow wall member 17 whereby the beveled surface 43 of the flange 41 of the hollow wall member 18 engages the beveled surface 34 of the free end 33 of the hollow wall member 17 while the flanges 42 and 35 of the hollow wall members 18 and 17 cooperate to form the aforementioned outwardly facing channel 45.

The free ends 33 and 39 of the hollow wall members 17 and 18 can be then secured together in any suitable manner. For example, the free ends 33 and 39 of the hollow wall members 17 and 18 can be provided with aligned threaded apertures adapted to respectively receive threaded members 46 to secure the hollow wall members 17 and 18 together as illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5.

However, before the hollow wall members 17 and 18 of each hollow wall section 12 are interconnected together, adjacent hollow wall members 17 are disposed adjacent each other with the enlargement 23 of one of the members 17 disposed against the arcuate flange 35 of the other member 17. Thereafter, a hollow wall member 13 is interconnected to the other hollow wall member 17 in the above manner whereby rotation of the hollow wall member 18 to bring the free end 39 thereof into engagement with the free end 33 of the other hollow wall member 17 causes the arcuate flange 42 of the hollow wall member 18 to interlock the enlargement 28 of the one hollow wall member 17 in the channel 45 of the completed hollow wall section 12.

In this manner adjacent hollow wall section 12 can be serially formed and interlocked together, the enlargements 23 of each hollow wall section 12 being movably interlocked in the channels 45 of the adjacent hol w wall section 12 whereby pivotal movement is permited between adjacent hollow wall sections 12.

Before adjacent hollow wall sections 12 are joined together in the above manner, a suitable lubricant is disposed on the enlargements 28 of the hollow wall members 17 to permit ease of movement thereof in the channels 45 of the adjacent hollow wall sections 12, the slots 28 in the enlargements 28 providing reservoir means for such lubricant.

Either before the hollow wall sections 12 are interconnected together in the above manner, or thereafter, suitable U-shaped side members 48, FIGURE 1, are telescoped into the opposed ends 14 and of each hollow wall section 12 and are secured thereto in any suitable manner, the side members 48 carying the rollers 13 in any desired manner. For example, the rollers 13 can be mounted on shafts 49 which project through suitable apertures in the side members 48 and are carried by suitable mounting blocks (not shown) telescopically disposed in the ends 14 and 15 of the hollow wall sections 12 and secured thereto in any suitable manner.

In this manner, the rollers 13 are displosed in the channels 16 of the frame members 11 whereby the hollow wall construction 16 is adapted to be moved relative to the frame members 11 between the opened and closed positions thereof and is adapted to move through an arcuate path because each hollow wall section 12 is pivotally connected to the adjacent hollow wall section 12.

FIGURE 4 illustrates how the hollow wall sections 12 pivot relative to each other as the same are moved through an arcuate path while FIGURE 5 illustrates how the adjacent wall sections 12 can be disposed in the same plane, the flange 36 of an adjacent wall section 12 being received in the channel 31 of an adjacent wall section 12 when the same are disposed in the same plane and turned end 32 of each wall section 12 abutting the leg 22 of an adjacent wall section 12.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides an improved hollow wall construction formed from a relatively few parts in a relatively simple manner whereby the hollow wall construction is relatively inexpensive and still has the desired structural strength for the intended use thereof.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

What is claimed is:

A hollow wall section having opposed surfaces and comprising a first member having a substantially U-shaped configuration defined by a pair of legs interconnected to a cross member, said cross member defining one surface of said hollow wall section, one leg having a free end provided with an enlargement extending outwardly therefrom and having a flange extending outwardly therefrom in stepped relation relative to said cross member, said free end of said one leg having an inwardly facing channel, the other leg of said first member having a free end provided with a first flange extending outwardly therefrom equal and a rearwardly facing surface, said other leg of said first member having a second flange extending outwardly therefrom and being disposed in the same plane as said cross member to overlap said stepped flange of an adjacent hollow wall section when said hollow wall sections are disposed in the same plane, and a second member having a substantially flat body portion provided with opposed free ends whereby said body portion defines the other surface of said hollow wall section, one of said free ends of said second member having an outwardly directed flange rotatably received in said channel of said first member, the other free end of said second member being secured to said free end of said other leg of said first member and having a forwardly facing surface abutting said rearwardly facing surface, said other free end of said second member having an outwardly directed flange spaced from said flange of said free end of said other leg to define an outwardly facing channel therebetween to interlockingly receive said enlargement of an adjacent like hollow wall section.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,302,166 11/1942 Anthony 232 X 2,642,018 6/1953 \Veeber l60235 2,827,115 3/1958 Stroup 160-229 2,880,796 4/1959 Stroup l60232 2,902,122 9/1959 Beauchamp 18946 3,062,338 11/1962 De Ri-dder et al. 18934 FOREIGN PATENTS 816,243 7/1953 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE A. NINAS, JR., Examiner.

B. A. REITER, P. M. CAUN, Assistant Examiners. 

